Caf to discipline Chiyangwa

HARARE - The Confederation of African Football (Caf) says it has opened disciplinary proceedings against Zifa president Philip Chiyangwa for “attacking the honour” of the Cairo-based organisation.

Caf reached the decision at their Executive Committee meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Tuesday ahead of today’s presidential elections.

“In addition, the Caf Executive Committee unanimously recommended the Caf Disciplinary Board to proceed with the case of Cosafa president, also president of the Federation of Zimbabwe... Chiyangwa who has multiplied actions and statements recently that appear to attack the honour of the Caf, its president and the members of the Executive Committee,” Caf said in a statement yesterday.

Chiyangwa and Caf have been at loggerheads since last month when Cosafa publicly endorsed the candidature of Madagascar Football Association president Ahmad Ahmad.

The Malagasy football official is going head-to-head against Caf president Issa Hayatou during today’s election.

Since the proclamation by Cosafa, Caf has been accusing Chiyangwa of trying to destabilise the continental football body.

Things came to a boiling point when the Harare businessman invited Fifa president Gianni Infantino and various other football leaders for his 58th birthday celebrations in Harare last month.

Caf insisted Chiyangwa did not have a mandate to organise such a gathering but the Zimbabwean stood his ground and the party went ahead at a five-star hotel in the capital where guests wined and dined until the wee hours of the morning.

Having met stiff resistance from Chiyangwa, Caf then added the Zifa boss as part of the agenda for Tuesday’s Executive Committee meeting where the decision to take disciplinary action against him was reached.

It seemed the Harare property developer had already anticipated such an outcome from the meeting as he threatened Hayatou with legal action.

“My legal team is preparing to go into battle against president Issa Hayatou and secretary general Hicham El Amrani.”

“If necessary following any deliberations that are prejudicial to my interests and standing, I will be taking legal recourse to the extent that Hayatou and El Amrani will be held personally liable for defamation.”

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